New stores opening in Colonies Shopping Center in Upland

The second phase of the Colonies Crossroads shopping center in northeast Upland is opening its first store this weekend. (Thomas R. Cordova/Staff Photographer)

UPLAND - The first of several new stores in the highly anticipated second phase of the Colonies Crossroads Shopping Center are opening this month.

T.J. Maxx will kick off the opening from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday and soon will be followed by Nordstrom Rack and Famous Footwear on March 14, Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us on April 1 and Tillys on April 30.

"This is exciting for our little community," said Jeff Burum, co-managing partner of the Colonies Partners LP. "This is our best piece. We saved it for last."

The center's new phase is about 185,000 square feet, bringing the total shopping center to about 1 million square feet.

It sits just below the 210 Freeway, offering businesses maximum visibility to passers-by.

The new phase is between 85 to 90 percent committed, Burum said.

The developer still is in negotiations with potential sit-down restaurants.

"The real excitement of this phase is the sit-down restaurants," Burum said.

Since the center's first phase opened in 2005, other major businesses have been able to see the success of anchor stores such as Albertsons, Bed Bath & Beyond, Dick's Sporting Goods, Kohl's and Target.

The first phase has maintained nearly 100 percent occupancy, mostly due to higher-income shoppers along the center's footprint, Burum said.

The center has four pods, or four segments to the entire project. The new phase is the soft goods portion of the center, which will also include the sit-down restaurants and a food court.

Panera Bread, Pick Up Stix, Chipotle and The Habit Burger Grill have signed on.

An Arco gas station and AM/PM mini mart will open above the 210 Freeway on Campus Avenue during the summer.

G-Stage, a female clothing store, plans to open in late March or early April.

Golfsmith, a more recent addition, is under construction and may open in January.

Some of the stores may hold soft openings earlier than their publicized grand opening dates.

Other tenants plan to open in late 2013 or early 2014 including BevMo, The Joint and The Habit.

About 20 acres along the north side of the 210 are still undeveloped.

There are two additional Colonies plots adjacent the residential portion of the development that have been approved for high-end condominiums and townhomes.

The 400-acre commercial and residential development generates about $3 million per year in tax revenue to the city.

City officials are projecting about $850,000 of new revenue when the new phase is fully developed, said City Manager Stephen Dunn.

"Our estimates could be up to $1.2 million based on the types of stores they have built," Dunn said. "It all depends on what they bring in there. Of course if they begin to build other buildings that would just add to it."

The first tax revenues will start rolling in by June, he said.

"Actually I am projecting four months of sales tax revenue at about $200,000 for the current fiscal year," he said.

The opening of the development comes at a crucial time for the city.

Dunn and the City Council have been looking for ways to cut the annual budget by at least $2 million per year.

"There was two ways of getting to $2 million or more. One is reduce spending the other is increase revenue and this is an increase in revenue," he said. "This project will help us out there and the other is the employee concessions and some other things we'll be doing."